Fallen Stars
by Shishuki
Summary: Based after the war, although with some references to the war times. What happens when a man gives away his heart to one who can not return the favor? Worst yet..what happens when that man realizes who he loves...when the man is no where to be found?
1. Chapter 1: the beginning

Fallen stars

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam wing or it's characters.

Chapter one: the beginning

When did attraction turn into affection? When did that affection turn to blind love? These were the questions that Duo Maxwell found himself pondering through out the war. He had long ago realized that his heart beat for another...that his very soul burned for that person. The one person that would never reciprocate his feelings, that did not seem able to. Heeor Yuy...the perfect soldier.

Throughout the months of the war that Duo had known Heero he had wanted to get closer to the composed boy. Wanting to befriend him...and later finding himself hopelessly attracted to him. Drawn to his beauty, that childish innocence he tried to hide behind the wall of emotionless. Duo had only seen past that wall once.

It had happened several months after their first meeting. They were the only two that were left in Quatre's safe house since the other three were sent off on missions. Heero had just barely managed to escape the last mission with his life and make it back to the safe house. The wounds had been impressive. Contusions, fractures, dislocated knee...Duo had spent half the night patching the unconscious pilot up.

Duo sat in the chair next to Heero's bed side watching over him and daydreaming as he ran his hand through his hair faintly. He found his heart in his throat suddenly when he realized, that somehow, his emotions had changed for the perfect soldier laying battered out before him. That at the thought of Heero failing in a mission, of him not coming back one day, this brought a strange tightness to his throat and made his eyes water.

For weeks he'd watched Heero and the others, tried to engage the slightly taller boy in conversation. He had taken his time to learn the many different meanings of the others patent "hnn" response. The others didn't notice...but Duo did, Duo recognized the other moods as if they were his own. He had always justified it to himself by saying that the other intrigued him...that he was interested in getting beyond those walls of ice and steel.

Now though he wasn't sure why this was such a solid goal for him. Did he want to be friends with Heero? Or something so much more? Why did his heart beat so fast whenever he was around him? Perhaps it was his train of thought, or the soft admittance of his own mind finally realizing just how much the other meant to him that cause him to do what he had. Leaning forward, ever so s lowly he let his lips touch Heero's in a gentle, slow kiss. Tasting those unresponsive lips, and the warm taste of cinnamon and strawberries. How...different. Duo let himself enjoy the way the other tasted for a few more minutes before pulling back and letting his eyes open again to look at the other's face.

What he saw there made him freeze. Twin cobalt jewels looked up at him their surface swimming with too many emotions to name. The sight stole his breath away. Never before had Duo seen Heero look like that. The other pilot looked so genuinely confused that he just couldn't help but hold his breath as he watched the others emotions flicker across his face one after the other almost too fast for him to catch. A moment later anger sprang up in place of confusion and before Duo could even register his own alarm a white hot pain flashed before his eyes as he vaguely felt a fist smash into his temple. Colours swam in front of his eyes for a moment before darkness.

The next thing Duo could remember after that was waking up in his bed, Quatra fussing over him. He'd later asked the blonde what had happened. The blue eyed boy had told him that he and Trowa had returned to find him collapsed in the bedroom, and after asking Heero; who despite his own injuries was already seeing to zero's damages, what happened had put him in bed. Luckily that had only been the night before so Duo had only lost a few hours instead of days from the hit. Suffering from a rather irritating concussion he was luckily alive.

Duo had found Heero to be even more cold towards him than before. The later opting to ignore him all together instead of tolerate him with small responses like he'd once given him. Though feeling rather disappointed at the sudden and unbreakable wall of cold fury that he found any time he tried to talk to Heero he continued his attempts to get the other out of his shell. This resulted in several black eyes and a threat on his life.

It wasn't for at least a month that something changed the now awkward relationship between the two of them. Duo found himself falling apart after a rather disastrous mission. Barely walking he somehow found the energy to get into a yelling match with Wufei about his being a "baka" for almost jeopardizing the mission. Pressing against Quatra, who had stood between them to keep them apart he'd glared at the other with narrowed eyes for some time before the world just tilted and he blacked right out.

What he had expected to see when he woke up again he wasn't sure. Maybe it was the gates of heaven, or the burning fires of hell...what he hadn't however expecting to find was Heero Yuy standing near the window in his room watching him "sleep". Duo had always been a master of waking up without changing his breathing or anything to signal that he was in fact conscious. Watching Heero Yuy through lidded eyes for several minutes he'd finally croaked out some sort of smart remark. To this day he still couldn't remember what it was. What had happened afterwards just shocked him far to greatly for something so unimportant to really stick.

Heero had turned on him then and studied him more closely before walking forward and before duo could even defend himself from what he thought was going to be another lecture about " endangering the mission" he had found himself drowning in cinnamon and strawberries. His violet eyes stared up at the serious, reserved cobalt eyes of the perfect soldier as he felt strong arms encompass him and before he really knew what was going on he'd felt himself giving in to those touches now running over his body.

Their first night together was nothing more than magical to Duo. His heart soared every time he thought about it. The gentleness of the other's exploring fingers and lips the way the other was so conscious of his injuries as he undressed him and then finally took him to that place of pleasure that he had never been before. He felt again that all consuming feeling for Heero then as he clung to him, moaning for him and giving himself completely to the other's will. It was then...in the after glow of it all that he muttered three words he regretted afterwards. "i love you" Those words would haunt him for as soon as he spoke them, the trance that had held them both there was broken and he was left with the perfect soldier staring coldly down at him once again.

Heero had left him then with out a word. Leaving Duo to curl up alone in his bed snuggling into the fading scent and warmth of the body that had been pressed so tightly against his own just moments before that.

Weeks later was when things had started. Heero had approached him first, demanding that he explain why he'd kissed him, and then stalked off after duo had tried to explain how he felt. That night when the others were all busy he'd again come to Duo's room, where they'd spent a night together, this time there was no gentleness, there was only lust and desire. Duo gave into the touches because he too felt those needs and he let Heero explore sex with him...he let himself be Heero's Guinea pig mostly because he was sure that was the only way the other would ever have him. Being close to Heero was worth it even if it was so small a way. Even if his heart would never be his...when he lay in Heero's arms he could at least pretend for a small period...that he was Heero's as much as Duo wanted Heero to be his.

Duo never made the mistake of saying those three words after sex again. It was obviously not accepted and through out the rest of the war Heero would come to him whenever he wanted and they would share a brief...moment together before going back to being soldiers. Perhaps it was born by Heero's confusion over emotions that were never shown to him. Or perhaps it was because they felt a connection because of their bodies' reactions to one another but Heero allowed the encounters to continue after the war.

The others all settled into every day life, Duo was happy to work for a repair company on earth in relation to the Preventers, repairing their cars and other things they needed work for. This way he could always be close to the others. Duo was so happy when finally Quatra came out and told all of them that he and Trowa were seeing each other. Duo could still remember the looks on Catherin and Wufei's faces as the small blonde had blushed and cuddled into Trowa's arms, the silent giant just smiling gently down at his little lover.

Things like that had made Duo's heart swell with happiness. His small family had found their ways to be happy. Trowa had Quatra, and after the Mariemaia incident Wufei had finally settle down and taken Sally Po's offer to be come a preventer and the smell of love was in the air for anyone that happened to be in the presence of those two love birds. Try as they might to deny anything going on. Duo was so glad that Wufei had found someone to be with, and seeing him almost every other day the once proclaimed shinigami made it his special duty to invite everyone over to his and Heero's house for dinner at least once a week.

Yes his "and" Heero's house. The static youth had agreed to move in with him after several attempts at keeping his own house had proved that he wouldn't go more than two or three days without spending the night over at his house anyway. So finally finding a bigger place the two ex-pilots had moved into a two bedroom townhouse. They weren't a couple, heaven forbid that they should even breach the subject of becoming a couple. A coworker of Duo's had said it in joking once when he came over and saw the two living together. Needless to say Heero had been gone for a whole week before coming back.

Despite the fears of loosing Heero all together, Duo was happy. He could be here with Heero, spend his nights with him. At least he thought he was happy...but when faced with the true happiness of Trowa and Quatra, and even Wufei and sally...he knew why his heart ached when he lay wrapped up in Heero's arms at night.

Still, despite the feeling of emptiness at knowing that even though he loved Heero more than anything and he would never accept his love and repay it, Duo was happy. He enjoyed his little life and for almost half a year after the war he was the happiest man alive on earth or the colonies.

Unfortunately that wasn't meant to last. It was the first week in August when Heero got himself a new job. Feeling listless with life Heero had quite his last job and been out of work for a few months, living off the money he'd sifted off of oz during the war. As far as Duo had asked and been told it was some sort of body guard job. Things seemed to spiral down hill from there as far as duo could tell. It was only a couple of weeks later that Heero was spending more and more nights away from home with his "client" and only two months later, just before Christmas that he came home to find Heero nestled in bed with none other than Relena Peacecraft.

Calling Quatra, Duo had packed his bags and found himself in his car on his way to the little blonde's house before Heero had even crawled out of bed after him. It was only then that Duo admitted to Quatra how he felt for Heero, the smaller of the two seeming rather unsurprised really, but when duo told him about his and Heero's arrangement over the last year the blonde had sat there gaping at him until Trowa had pointed out that a fly could get in if he did that.

The two ex-pilots agreed to help him hide from Heero who honestly didn't seem to understand why he was so hurt. Calling him to see when he was coming home, wondering why he'd run off in the first place. Duo cried about it for several days until Wufei had given Heero a visit to inform him that Duo "would not" be coming home. The Chinese ex-pilot later told Duo that he'd told Heero what he was doing to Duo and how inappropriate he had been in going to Duo for that sort of relationship if he had no feelings for the baka American.

This had been a surprise to Duo and he'd found a source of strength in Wufei's friendship. Duo loved Quatra to pieces...but the way the blond always fussed over him, calling him to make sure he was okay even after he'd moved into an apartment on the other side of town and gotten a new job. Trowa was a silent pillar most of the time but his time with Quatra had softened him and he was more prone to tell the American what he felt or thought as well and Duo just couldn't handle it.

To disappear had been a though that Duo had been playing with for a few weeks before "it" happened. It being the night that he had decided to disappear from the pilots lives all together...the night that 'Duo maxwell" died.


	2. Chapter 2: The death of Duo Maxwell

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam wing or it's characters

Authors warning: There is a touch of suicide here so if you're sensitive to it please look away, also hints of ncs, though nothing explicit.

Chapter two: The death of Duo Maxwell

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Duo

It was hard to believe that it had already been Five months since that day in December when he had caught Heero in Relena's arms. That memory still made Duo's heart twitch and his eyes water ever so slightly despite how he would try to resist it. Sure they hadn't been a 'Couple'...hell the only time he'd ever admitted to Heero how he'd felt the other had taken off on him and not spoken to him him for an entire week. Only acknowledging him because of a mission. This might have been stupid fo rhim to accept from the very beginning...but he'd wanted to be with Heero. Even in that small, meaningless way.

For the longest time Duo had managed to convince himself that they could be happy...but Heero had made that obvious. He'd always known the taller brown haired, cobalt eyed male would leave him for Relena Peacecraft. Relena who had the whole world eating out of her hand, she loved Heero and she made it so obvious for anyone to see. Later, after Duo had decided to not go back to their townhouse, he'd learned that Relena had hired him, getting his own loft apartment closer to her home. Duo was surprised though to find that the other had kept payments going on the townhouse. This surprised him. It was illogical that Heero would keep something like that when it had no practical use, maybe it was sentimentality that motivated Heero to keep the town house?

Of course not Duo chided himself bitterly. Why would Heero "perfect soldier" Yuy feel sentimental over a house? Perhaps it was a safe haven for him when Relena, who they all knew could be terribly over bearing, got to be to much even for him. Whatever the reason was duo knew for months that the townhouse was still there.

Which brought the problem to light that he had left his cross there. His beloved golden cross that he wore since the days of the orphanage. As cherished to him as his braid he had felt restless without it. Had been inconsolable when he'd realized that it was missing only to remember weeks later where he had left it.

There was no choice...now knowing that the townhouse was still there he had to go find it. Leaving late one march evening he drove the quarter mile on his bike to where he had once lived with Heero. It was amazingly like slipping on an old pair of pants when he walked into the house and looked around finding that the door still creaked a bit, and that the coat hanger was still missing two begs even though Heero had grumbled something about him fixing it that weekend. In fact as Duo had walked through the house he'd been rather surprised to find that the house was exactly like it had been when he left. Except for devoid of most of his things.

Shaking off the strange sensation Duo made his way into the room he had once walked past many times, heero's room. The day he'd walked in on heero with relena playing through his head again. He'd been soaked from the rain and had taken his shirt and cross off in the process. Carring the bundle in one hand and drying his hair with a towel in the other he'd heard sounds from the room and had gone inside only to drop his shirt and cross on the floor at seeing them together in the bed. A bed that he and heero had spent nights together in.

Pushing the door open Duo spotted his shirt in the same spot he had dropped it. Stooping down to search through it he froze. There was no cross...he'd been so sure that it was here...that he'd dropped it here. If not here then where? He felt the beginnings of panic drive through him like a knife. How could the cross be missing this was the last place he had seen it. The creak of the floor boards behind him broke through Duo's dazed panic and he came face to chest with Heero. His eyes locking instantly on something that shone in the dim light from the windows. His cross hung around Heero's neck.

This in itself was enough to make Duo freeze, but what stole his breathe away was when he looked up to see the anguish in Heero's face as his cobalt eyes locked on his own violet ones. The feeling of the other's arms around him suddenly made him blink. Heero was really here, standing in front of him and holding him. His warm breath on his neck making him shudder as his body remembered this all to well for his liking. That sweet smell, wait...the smell of Heero's breath was tainted with...alcohol? He could smell it heavily on the other's breath his eyes widening. Heero was intoxicated?

"**waga****Duo" The words were breathed in his ear as the arms tightened around him almost causing him a groan of pain. That was a feeling he hadn't missed. The bones of his arms grinding and his back protesting the strain.**

**It was like stepping back in time. To when heero would come to him in times of uncertainty and they would lie together, Heero renewed in his resolve afterwards. Duo was hard pressed to deny the man he loved, the one who held his heart. He had to remember why he left. He couldn't hide from himself how fake their relationship had been, not after seeing relena in Heero's bed. Shaking his head he shoved at Heero's chest and moved to step away giving him a verbal refusal as as obvious as his physical rejection.**

**Time stood still as an vice like grip met duo's resistance and the room tilted as he felt himself falling onto the bed. Duo struggled like a wild animal then as he fought to claw his way free. This was wrong. He didn't want to do this on the bed that Relena had spent time with Heero. He didn't want Heero to do this while wearing his cross. He had shut himself off from Heero in hopes that his heart would let go of the perfect soldier.**

**Despite all of his best efforts to fight the other off Duo found himself helpless at the hands of the other his skin bruising at his rough touches and soon the night were filled with his screams as Heero ravaged his body and tromped across his tattered soul with the act. Beating on Heero's shoulders and fighting with all he had Duo was left with no other choice but to stare helplessly up at the ceiling his eyes dull and his cheeks streaked with tears.**

**Afterwards Duo faintly thought he heard Heero murmur something as he slumped to the side and fell asleep contently. Thanking god for how intoxicated the other was Duo freed himself of Heero's arms and fled the bed. Gathering his clothing and not looking back to even consider taking his cross he evacuated the townhouse as if hell itself was riding on his heels.**

**Driving for gods knows how long Duo sough desperately to outrun the truth. To race back to a time when Heero Yuy...the man who owned his soul, had not just raped him. Tears blurred his vision as he finally had to pull over in fear of crashing. Leaving his bike at the side of the rode he found himself sitting on the grass next to the river as he tried to deny what had happened and think about what "would' happen.**

**He knew that if he told the others what had happened they would attack Heero. Whether physically or otherwise he knew his friends were protective of him, almost like older brothers. In the past that thought would have made the American smile. Thinking of having three older, protective brothers when he'd grown up with no family and those he loved were taken away by death. The thought of Quatra's tear filled expression and the anger he knew Wufei would feel was a thought that sobered that moment of happiness and brought him back to the present. No...telling the others was not an option.**

**The problem wasn't what he was going to do, he had toyed with leaving, hiding out and finding a new name. So that the pilots would never find him...however that in itself was the problem. How was he going to hide from four of the worlds top soldiers? Each of them could easily detect if he hacked into the government's systems and weed out the alias he would have to create. Even if Heero wasn't looking for him, the others were just as good at it as he was. **

**Duo sighed, feeling trapped as he cast his eyes to the cloudy sky. What was he going to do? Whether it was god himself...or perhaps the more mischevious doings of Duo's long held companion death himself...but before he could take too much longer to ponder on his options, an escape dropped right into his hands. His eyes widened as he spotted a body fall from the bridge up the river from him. Watching the broken form crash into the rapids he jumped to his feet to seek out the other's body in the violently churning rapids. The rains of the last week had left the river swollen and eager to empty itself in the bay.**

**There, moving in a flash of speed Duo dove into the water and using his training as a Gundam pilot battled to intercept the form of the young man that was laying limply at the mercy of the tide. Just a few more inches, there. Wrapping his arms around the torso of the man Duo kicked against the current to struggle towards the bank. Minutes passed and finally Duo surged from the freezing depths to lay gasping on the solid ground of the river side, the form of the one he'd saved laying motionless beside him.**

**It was then that he sat up and spun on the other checking for a pulse, checking for breathing. Neither. He flew into action, trying everything he knew to revive the other. It was minutes before he stopped, gasping for air as he leaned over the other staring down at him in the dim light of dawn. Dead...nothing he did could bring the man back. Feeling along for the pulse again he felt the jagged ends of a snapped neck that he hadn't felt before. The man had been dead as soon as he hit the water...**

**Grief struck Duo. To think that this person was depressed enough to take his own life...that must be a sad existance. Even in the worst of times duo had never once even considered that. To commit suicide was a sin. If he was going to be sent to hells doors it had better damn well be for his other sins. He didn't need any more added to his tab.**

**Studying the man for the first time since he pulled him from the river Duo did a double take. This man...was like looking in a mirror. He couldn't be more than nineteen twenty years old, his hair the same chestnut colour as his own hair though a great deal shorter. His eyes were blue and his skin was as pale as Duo's own. Staring at the other Duo just sat there stunned. For close to an hour he studied the other man in the growing light of the morning that spilled between the holes in the clouds above. Finally he reached with slightly trembling fingers to search the body for any identification. Finding a wallet with a drivers license he found out that the man's name was Shinto Allan. Searching again Duo found a set of keys to what looked like a Chevrolet Nova. **

**It only took Duo around five minutes to decide. Nodding his head he shifted to dig the other a shallow grave under a apple tree not too far from him and then carried him over to lay him down in the hole he'd dug before shifting to bury him. Abandoning his bike at a gas station up the street he lamented for a moment the loss of his bike but doubled back to the bridge to find Shinto's car and slipping inside of it he glanced around taking in all that the man had in his car he realized the gravity of what he was doing and he hesitated. **

**He was desperate to get away from what Heero did...but to take the identity of a man who had committed suicide...could he do that? Well...the man had been desperate to die...he had better check this out. Driving off to a nearby Internet Cafe it was child's play to secure himself a computer and check up on Shinto Allan's background. There were several newspaper articles about his family, his mother dying of cancer and his father a heart attack two months later. The young man was the sole heir to a small fortune. So why would he kill himself? Perhaps the grief for his family was what drove him over the edge..but for now duo was going to take advantage of the opportunity given him.**

**Paying the bill for the computer usage Duo, or rather Shinto as he was going to call himself from now on slipped out of the cafe and made his way to his car to take off, the address to his home printed on a napkin and tucked away in his pants pocket. Starting his new car he took off towards the place he would now call home, at least until he could figure all of this out and pack up and move to a different city. Saying goodbye to being Duo and instead taking up the cover of his new name. Thanking Shinto Allan for his help in this escape. **

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**A/N: Hey everyone. I hope you enjoyed my story so far. I'm trying to keep the chapters around the same length but they may vary. And I will be doing periodical reloads when I reread these things and find mistakes that I missed the first, second or third times. Well any who...I'd love to hear from you all and get some constructive criticism to work with. Thanks.**


	3. Chapter 3:New life and Remembering

Disclaimer: I do not own Gundam wing or any of it's characters

Chapter 3: New life and new opportunities.

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**Shinto-Duo-Allan**

The sounds of the cars around the black Mercedes Benz was relaxing for Shinto. Having left early had done nothing to help him avoid the common traffic for eight o'clock in the morning. Luckily his client didn't have to be to her meeting until nine o'clock. Thinking about the timing Shinto couldn't help but cast his mind over the other appointments he had to keep today.

Letting himself momentarily drift off into thought in the parking lot that was the highway he found himself wondering on the last five years. It amazed him that it had already been so long since he drove off that night, casting off the name of Duo Maxwell to become the man he had pulled out of the river. Returning to Shinto's home he had found that he lived in a rather overly large house with nothing to keep him company other than a German Shepard with a rather amazingly friendly temperament. Looking into the other's social connections his grief had only increased to find that Shinto had in fact kept himself mostly to himself with only a few people he talked to and the last emails were all dated a few months before then, and the vet that he took his dog, Satan, to every other weekend for regular check ups.

With little to no reservations he had packed up the other's things and after doing a bit of hacking into the bank to change the pins and passwords for Shinto's accounts, he had bought a more practical house in this town he was now living and working in. the next thing that he needed was a job, so he'd invested a good portion of the money into starting a car service company. It had only been a few months before he got his first big customer...and from there his company had blossomed. "Shinto's shuttle service" was a common name all over the earth's sphere, the original investment having come back to him ten fold.

Shinto was happy. Truly happy now that he had settled into this life, he'd managed to make a whole lot of invaluable friends that he wouldn't loose for the world. Satan was a constant companion for him at home and Shinto had even added a second puppy to keep Satan company when he was at work. He had kept up a vigorous regime of exercise to keep both him and his two dogs in good shape. His company was very popular and he even had a favorite family that lived right here in this city.

The Mackenzie were a Scottish family. The family consisted of a young man probably only a few years older than Shinto was, he was a gentle soft spoken man with golden curls and blue eyes. He was a budding politician that ran with the worlds tops to try and maintain the peace that they all cherished now. Unlike the other politicians though Marquis understood that sometimes in order to protect peace you had to fight; Marquis was a ex-soldier who fought in the war. Unlike many of the soldiers who had felt lost and gone to Mariemaia for answers, Marquis had been part of those that resisted and in the end helped bring Mariemaia down. Shinto felt a connection to Marquis and sympathized for him since his wife had passed away while giving birth to Marquis' little angel, Jessi.

Jessi in her own rights was a little marvel. So sweet and energetic for only being five and a half. She was a bundle of energy and Shinto loved how he and her could hold a conversation without any pauses as he drove her home from school and even sometimes would take her to the park on days when her father wasn't able to be there for her when she got home. She was small for her age with long brown hair that, after meeting Shinto, she had started wearing in a braid much like his own. Her purplish pink eyes sparkled with laughter and made anyone's heart melt. Shinto truly loved her like his own daughter.

A honk drew Shinto to the present time as he realized that the man beside his car was giving into his urges to act like an immature beast as he beat on his horn and yelled cuss words out of the window. Shaking his head he turned on his stereo closing his eyes as several classic songs poured out of the speakers soothing the ears as they drowned out the man's harsh words. Tilting his head to grin at his client as she commented on how they were finally moving he talked quietly with her the last ten minutes until they reached the office. Wishing her a good day and telling her he'd see her half an hour earlier tomorrow since she had to be into work for eight thirty he then wandered off. He had the rest of the day off until he picked Jessi up.

With this realization he decided he'd stop off at the nearest mall and do some Christmas shopping. Thanking that his list was so short like the last five years he walked around at his own pace strolling through the people frantically trying to buy presents for their loved ones in the last week leading up to Christmas. As he passed by shops and booths he smiled as even in the corner of his mind he found small things that he would have bought for the others. A small violin repair kit for Quatra in the music store, a new novel out by Trowa's favorite author in the book store, a brilliant silver and ivory Katina in that antique booth over there...and strangely his mind even flickered to things that he would have considered buying Heero then put back. He'd never been very good at buying the other anything...he'd never known what he would want.

Finishing off his short list of people he needed to buy for he smiled as he tucked the little black teddy bear in the bag after looking it over. That was a nice start for Jessi. He walked off in search of a book she had told him she wanted and also a new set of gloves and a scarf to go with them. He'd noticed a hole in her last set of gloves the other day. When this was found and tucked safely away in his bags he left the mall to head home.

Greeting him at the door was Satan and his Husky wolf Martin. Letting the two out into the backyard as Shinto walked through the house to get the things he wanted he set to wrapping the presents for Jessi. Today would be the last day he saw her until after new years. Since school was out after today. So he'd would have to give her her Christmas presents today along with the presents for Marquis. Laughing as he worked, watching his two dogs rolling around in the snow and playing with each other he felt content, even if not a little lonely...

**Heero**

Five years had felt like an eternity for him he realized as he lent against the wall watching as Relena gave another one of her long speeches. Despite popular belief amongst the other guards that flocked after her, most of them being personally trained by him, Heero had no interest in Relena that way. Her feelings were completely obvious to him, they always had been. However at the time he was too naive to understand them, emotions themselves eluded his understanding through out the war, and after it for that matter.

Over the last five years he'd felt his wall of emotionless composure melting away, he allowed himself to live by the words of his late mentor. To live by his emotions, even if he wasn't sure how or what those were. He, according to Quatra and the others, had softened quite a bit over the years, and the relationship he had with the other pilots had been an up hill battle to win back. Especially after what had happened in March...

Heero recalled that day with shame and only in flashes of images that were dulled and fuzzy. What he could remember was that he had visited an amusement park that day in his daily requirements to protect Relena. She was cutting the ribbon on the place and had been asked to stay afterwards and enjoy some of the rides. Watching her on those rides had brought back memories to the many times Duo had dragged him off to some amusement park with Quatra and Trowa. The violet eyed pilot had loved all of the spinning rides.

" they remind me of Deathscythe" he'd told Heero after his thirteenth ride in a row on something they called the orbiter.

Watching her had made Heero tense and thinking of duo made his heart hurt somehow. A pain he'd never felt before and more excruciating than anything the doctors or oz had ever done to him while in the war. Something akin to remorse and regret tugged at his senses for the way the two of them had parted last. Not to mention the alienation he had experienced at the hands of the others afterwards.

The feeling of guilt stayed with him through out the day and in the end he had done something he hadn't ever done before to escape it. He went out on a bing drinking spree, finally allowing some of his colleges to take him out on the town Heero had somehow found himself back at the townhouse he just couldn't bring himself to get rid of, more than a little drunk. Wandering through the halls of the town house did nothing to ease that feeling in his chest. Especially coming to his own room. The memories of that day when he had lain with Relena as fresh as if they'd happened just yesterday.

After the war he'd still had no luck in understanding the feelings that stirred in his heart. Even as he sought to unlock them he had no way of understanding or knowing what they were. He knew he felt connected to Duo, that was why he couldn't spend more than a few days away from the brown haired, loudmouth pilot. This had been their motivation for moving in together. The problem was Heero hadn't known if it was purely a physical connection to the other or something deeper, something far more important.

Perhaps that was what had led to Heero allowing Relena to seduce him that day. He hadn't known that Duo would come home early that day...it must have been a surprise for him since it was an "anniversary of sorts" that day. That day had been when they had begun their "friends" campaign of Heero hatred. The cold hatred he had never known that Quatra was capable.

What had surprised him the most had been Wufei's defense of the "baka". He had spent many hours throughout the war proclaiming his distaste for duo and his hatred. Heero had been baffled by his furry and had even received an impressive black eye from the slender Chinese man.

Those first few days had left him wondering what he'd done...it had just been an ex experiment. Much like he'd done with duo for those months. Eventually, when he had realized that Duo just...wasn't coming back, he had taken Relina's offer of a place closer to her own. It was that or listen to her whine and beg him to come live with her in her mansion.

Everything in the townhouse was exactly the way duo had left it, even after the other pilots had each come and stripped it of Duo's belongings. The things that had been " unpractical" or "bothersome" suddenly felt important for some unknown reason to the once stoic pilot. Even the silk shirt had remained abandoned on the floor of his bedroom where duo had dropped it that night.

Heero remembered having stooped down in the days that had followed Duo's running off to pick it up, moving the garment only slightly when the glimmering of the other's fabled cross had caught his eye and he shifted to crouch down to extract the item from the folds of the shirt and study it closely. One of the many things that Heero had never understood about the braided pilot had been his attachment to some silly little trinket like this. Easily broken, and useless. It had no purpose. As far as he was concerned. However even as he'd thought that he'd remembered duo's desperate search one time after a mission in which the chain had been broken and his beloved cross had fallen from his person. Even bleeding and hurt he'd held the cross to himself as he was dragged out of there in Heero's arms like it was his salvation.

Could something like this be truly important without a use? Thinking this way had left Heero questioning for the first time the way he prioritized things. He remembered many of those he'd come across, Quatra had special attachment to his violin, as did Trowa to his flute and even Wufei had a unique affection towards his sword, although that did have a use. These thoughts were like a parasite really, worming their way into Heero's life and perhaps it was his uncertainty and his questions that had left him to don the aforementioned cross himself and to wear it himself ignoring that it did give him a sense of comfort. Whether that was because of any connection to some god, or the fact it was duo's Heero didn't know, but from then on he was never seen without the cross.

Heero had been sitting in Duo's empty room at the desk that rested against the wall in front of the window, that being the only furniture that the ex pilots had not stripped out of the room, when he'd heard the front door open through his daze. Standing he'd turned and waited in silence to see if it was just the alcohol meddling with his mind again, internally swearing he would never allow himself to become so drunk again.

Hearing those almost inaudible steps coming up through the hall he held his breath waiting. Watching the inside of the door. Was it a burglar? no...there was no way a burglar would come into this place, not since the first time they'd moved in and duo had beaten a local thug leader an inch from death ... so moving ever closer he had stepped forward step by shaky step until he had slunk from the room and the fifteen steps to his own room.

As he'd thought the door to his room was open and as he slipped inside the sight of the braided pilot stole his breath away. The memories of the other's anguished face when he'd walked in that day playing through his hazy mind and his heart leaped into his throat. Duo was there, the smell of him only inches from him as he just couldn't control the urge to have that boy in his arms again as he pulled him to himself. He was just desperate to feel the other against him again. To be surrounded by his smell and feeling his satin skin under the palms of his hands again.

Perhaps it was the alcohol that dulled his mind...but when the other pulled away he was too desperate for the feeling of the other that he couldn't stand to let him pull away. He had to tell him how he felt...something leaping up in him that would never have shown light had he been in his right mind. Flashes of skin, and rushes of feelings inside him. The last thing he could remember before blackness took him was the smell of lavender and the taste of vanilla, duo's favorite ice cream. Something he had noticed without realizing he had.

Waking up had been torture. Never had his head hurt so much, and he had been surprised to find that it was worse than anything he had encountered before...and the bed was cold and empty. It had taken him almost a full hour of contemplating the events from what had occurred the day before to really realize what had come after leaving Relina's house with his colleagues.

However, by then it was too late. Duo was gone, and all that was left was a slightly torn shirt, and the fading smell of his hair in the pillows. Heero had had no choice but to drag himself from bedding and leave there, knowing that somehow, he didn't know how, but somehow he had to make things right. Although, fate would have it that he never got that chance. Three days later Duo's bike was brought to the preventer's office, all to easily recognized for duo's specialized adaptations and the other pilots were all frantically searching for the braided pilot.

Those searches would come up short, and after several weeks of convincing the others to at least let him help them look rather than the cold shoulders from what he had confessed to them early into the search Heero joined them in scouring the government databases for any signs of hacks by the elusive braided pilot.

The applause drew Heero from his thoughts as he shook his head glancing to where Relina was wrapping things up for the day. Shedding the old thoughts Heero straightened. It was often around this time of the year that he began loosing himself in the thoughts of those days frantically searching for Duo Maxwell. Forcing his mind from the spiral of thoughts that would only leave him to withdraw like they always did he instead began giving instructions to his staff to ensure that Relina made it to the hotel she would be staying in while in town safely, over seeing her progress to the limo himself he then extracted himself for the day to review a few files on the politicians that Relina would be visiting with over the holidays in the next week.

On his way home Heero pulled over into a simple Starbucks, acquiring a Grande coffee with two creams and three sugar. A faint twitch quirked his lips into a semi smirk as Heero vaguely recalled the day Duo and the others had discovered that Heero Yuy had a sweet tooth. Settling into a corner table, he pulled his laptop out of his bag and booted it up to inspect the files he'd been sent that morning.

They were the usual ass kissing politicians really, nothing out of the ordinary. Of course the meetings were an almost annual occurrence, just a giant excuse for the rich people of the worldsphere and the colonies to get together and have their ego's stroked by other people of the same class, Quatra often exclaimed with distaste despite his regular attendance due to his inheriting his father's company. Looking over the files though one particular politician did grab his attention. Marquise Mackenzie.

Mackenzie was an ex-soldier, much to Heero's surprise. Reading his background profile he was curious to why he had never seen this man in the last five years, the answer was obvious. He was a widower with a five year old daughter. There were reports that last year Mackenzie had been absent because his daughter had had laryngitis, the year before she'd caught pneumonia.

Curious for some unexplainable reason Heero found himself digging into the man's history a bit further. He couldn't explain why the idea of giving so much for a daughter seemed surprising to him. Well of course his own childhood was probably an aspect of that surprise however he knew logically that most parents were the say for their children. However he still found this man curious...looking into the man's usual political schedule he found that the man often had his meetings early in the day and with further inspection he learned that it was so that he could be there for his daughter when she was finished with her schooling, being home every day at four fifteen when the shuttle service that drove her home every day arrived there.

Taking a gulp of his coffee Heero grimaced as the taste of cold coffee invaded his mouth. Swallowing hard he glanced to his cup and then to the time amazed that he'd lost two hours to this little mini obsession of his. Shrugging he glanced through the rest of Relina's times table and when sure there were no security concerns he began to shut everything down as he pulled out the paper files that he'd been handed as he was leaving that day. Opening it he was surprised to find that the man that had been the center of his fascination for the last two hours was staring up at him from the front of a Christmas invitation for this years Christmas gathering, the Mackenzie being the chosen politician to host this year.

Simply glancing the card over he moved to throw the files back into his bag before something registered vaguely in his mind as he dragged the card back out to look at the card with much further detail. Staring up from beside Mackenzie with a stupid, shit eating grin on his face, was the face of a man so similar to Duo that it took his breath away. Picking up the phone Heero dialed the number for Quatre's personal line.

"Hello? Heero? What can I do for you? It's not like you to call me like this. Everything okay?" the usual gentle, if not a little strained voice of Quatra winner slipped easily through the phone.

"Hnn...do you still have the invitation for this years Christmas gathering? " There was a few minutes where Heero could hear the sounds of ruffling papers and opening drawers that led Heero to believe that like the few times he'd visited the blonde pilot's office, his desk was covered in mountains of paperwork. Moments later there came an almost inaudible hitch of a gasp on the other end. "I'll call you when I'm home...however I think it would be best for all of us to go this year...would you call...Chan?"

" of course..." The Arabian confirmed in a barely perceptible whisper, a brief pause and then the other continued " what are you going to do if it turns out to be him?"

Rising from his seat Heero let himself sigh as he slipped into his coat and step out into the sharp sting of cold of the winter night on his way to his car as he thought of how to answer that. " I have much to make up for."

An: Soooo it's been ages since I last posted in this fic. I hope to be more regular. But with my muses always working sparatically I sometimes struggle with writer's block...though positive feed back and constructive criticism definitely gets the juices going so please review.

Next chapter- We will get to learn more about duo's relationship with the Mackenzie, and will Heero meet up with duo? Or will unforeseen events keep the two from their long awaited reunion? Wait and find out.


	4. Chapter 4: Reunions Or Not?

Fallen Stars

AN: I do not own Gundam wing or any of it's official characters. The Ocs are of course mine.

Chapter 4: Reunions? Or not.

* * *

**Shinto-Duo-Allan**

Glancing to the clock to his left Shinto sighed as he had exactly an hour to go before he had to be at the school, plenty of time most would say, but from experience he'd learned to leave early in order to avoid the after school traffic and be there so he could park the car in front of the school making it the fastest and safest route for Jessi to come. That and he could watch her come out of the school and make sure no bullies picked on her and there wasn't any kidnapping attempts, which although had become nonexistent over the years he'd been taking care of her, had been quite frequent when he'd first started working for marquis.

Gathering up the presents for marquis and Jessi he whistled as he took the necessary five minutes to dry Satan and Martin off before leaving well ahead of schedule. Stopping off to pick up a healthy snack for Jessi to make sure she had something to eat on the ride home like usual. Even with that pit stop he arrived at his destination a solid half an hour early. Pulling out the newest book of the series he was currently reading he turned on the radio and got comfortable to wait for the school day to be over.

Shinto was roused from his adventures on the high seas by the shrill sound of the bell to the school telling all within and in a two block radius that the school day was at an end. Storing his book once again in his bag he turned his head to watch for that bouncing brunette to make her way out of the school as per usual.

Five minutes Shinto spotted Jessi skipping out of the school her arms wrapped around one of her best friend's arms as they chattered about something before waving as they seporated just outside the gates to the school. Getting out of the car Shinto smiled and waved as he opened the door for her as per his usual.

Climbing inside again he was bombarded by the usual array of chatter from the high spirited five and a half year old. Pulling away from the curb Shinto found it ever so fascinating how a girl her age could seem to have so many adult situations being played out among her school friends, though dealt with far more childishly. He grinned faintly chattering at with her as they listened to her favorite station and she munched on the carrot sticks and dip he'd supplied today.

"And Mandy says Mark asked her to go out with her but she likes Leo, but I think leo might acutaly like mark...what should I tell her to tell him?" She rambled once again dumbfounding Shinto with the complexity of kinder gardeners dating and " liking each other". Let alone liking other boys...so he just smiled gently and listened as she continued on taking his silence quite cheerfully.

"Jessi, I know it's a little early, Christmas not being for a couple of days but why don't you open that little present with the silver bow? " he suggested as they arrived at a red light and it appeared the stem of her conversation was reaching it's end.

A small squeal of delight and Shinto smiled watching in the rear view mirror as the seven year old took a moment to appraise the wrapping job before rip, shredding and tearing the wrapping paper off the present and letting out an exclamation of delight at the scarf and gloves that unrolled. Another thing he liked about the brunette girl, she wasn't spoiled despite the princess treatment that she received.

As he was expecting at the next light, Shinto found a pair of arms wrapping slightly around his neck and shoulders at the next light and a faint kiss to his cheek. This bringing a brilliant smile and a faint chuckle to his lip. " I'm glad you like it Jessi."

Pulling up to the Mackenzie house hold as per usual he parked and moved around to let her out of the car taking her bag in one hand and her hand in the other he led her inside. Greeting the butler with a smile and a nod of his head and a flirting wink. The two of them sharing a giggle as he flushed and hurried off somewhere to do something else.

Heading first to her room Shinto then stepped through the hall to make his way to Marquis's office. Knocking he waited for a few seconds for the customary " come in", a mere formality really, Shinto had been doing this long enough to know the other was in there and that he was welcome to enter even with out the other's permission.

Stepping into the office he smiled spotting the slightly older male sitting there behind a pile of paperwork that made Shinto think of a certain blonde Arabian. Smiling at the other he stepped over to the desk to shake his hand and then sat down across from him, undoing the top two buttons of his shirt and slipping his tie into his pockets and relayed the uneventfull trip home. Leaving the presents for the two of them on the desk where he'd see them he grinned.

"well if that's everything, I'll be going home. She goes back on the fifth right?" Shinto stood to leave only to blink as the door opened and he was pounced and from the grin on marquis's face he got the distinct impression that this was planned. Uh oh...ambush? Looking between the two of them, from the politician sitting in his seat to the little girl clinging to his hip he quirked a brow.

"We're having a Christmas party on Sunday night...you should come...." marquis stated gently smiling at him as Jessi verbalized her very strong agreement to this statement. Shinto hesitating a moment, although he was a rather well off business owner in his own right he was a little nervous about huge digs or publicity deals...but eventually he gave into those wide eyes he had deemed Jessi's "Secret puppy dog eyed weapon". There was just no refusing those eyes and that quivering pout.

"okay...I'll come. What time is it?" The squeal of delight was almost enough to wipe the pout off his lips as he looked to marquis smiling more seeing that twinkle in his eyes. Shinto had to admit that the other was a pretty good looking young man. If he ever showed an interest he'd jump on the opportunity without so much as blinking twice.

Sitting back down Shinto bounced Jessi on his knee grinning at her as she just giggled happily and listened to marquis give him the details of when and what the dress was, basically casual formal or costume, whatever he chose, at seven till three with the option of staying over if he wanted. Smiling faintly at the other as he winked at him and grinned playfully. Over the years he'd found that they were pretty close friends. Which was something he was great full for.

Looking at the clock as Shinto climbed into his car he couldn't believe he'd ended up spending almost an hour in there just chit chatting with marquis and Jessi. That wasn't a first, but it wasn't a regular thing unless he came over as a friend rather than Jessi's driver for the day. He had to admit though, it was fun, it made him feel content, and happy. Almost like a real family.

Pulling out of the driveway he blinked as the song "gonna get'cha" by Shania Twain came on the radio and he just threw his head back and laughed lightly, perhaps it was time for Duo maxwell to reemerge a little. He had found that when he took over as Shinto his personification of Shinto's habit of sticking to himself and not dating had come forward even with moving. So five years later...Shinto pulled off to get a meal, and then head out clubbing, something he hadn't done since the day's he'd dragged Quatra and the other gundam pilots out for Heero's birthday all those years ago.

* * *

**Heero**

The trip out here was pretty quiet. Most on the jet other than Relina understanding Heero's clear desire to be left alone with his thoughts as he was sitting in the back of the jet just thinking of the information he'd assimilated in the last few days about Shinto Allan. As far as he knew...that man was not a made up cover...there was no signs of hacking that he could locate or anything that might indicate t hat the similarities between him and duo's appearance was anything more than some freak coincidence.

Still despite having to ignore Relina's attempts to draw him into conversation with her he had quite some time to think on the way there about what he would say and do if Shinto did turn out to be Duo Maxwell. That would have to wait for the time being though, as he was now overseeing Relina's trip to the Mackenzie household personally.

The ex-pilots had all agreed that they would come be present at the party in case Shinto Allan was duo. Stepping out of the car first to look around and then lead Relina inside he spotted many of the politicians he had had to deal with since starting this job over five years ago, many young women laughing and joking about stealing him away from Relina. Dealing with it all with his usual business attitude Heero scanned the crowd. His mind only on one guest, at least he assumed he was going to be there... if he was close enough to the family to be on the card...

Heero sensed the hand a split second before it touched his shoulder as he glanced back at Quatra, the shorter young man dressed in a white suite. Beside him Trowa was dressed more casual, wearing black jeans and a emerald turtleneck sweater. Nodding to the two he glanced to the entrance spotting Wufei slipping inside with Sally Po on his arm the two spotting them as Quatra waved to them.

Heero glanced around at the four of them standing around him. It was so awkward to see the four of them coupled. Quatra and Trowa had each other, and Wufei and Sally had each other. Of course early on the others had made snarly remarks about if they made him uncomfortable he should just bring Relena around on his arm. Which after a few good old Yuy death glares had stopped quite quickly.

"So have you seen him?" Heero asked Trowa, the banged male shaking his head to the negative glancing to Quatra.

"We just got here a few seconds before you and Relina did..." The blonde Arabian explained softly glancing towards where the aforementioned girl was shmooshing with all the other guests.

Nodding Heero glanced around again before grimacing as Wufei asked the question he'd been thinking since he'd walked through the door. " Just because he's on the card...what makes you think he's going to be here tonight?"

The five all shared a look before the two couples watched Heero turn and wander off. The ex "perfect soldier" off looking for Marquis Mackenzie. What he found was almost breathtaking even to Heero Yuy. Hanging off the blonde politician's arm was a girl with chestnut hair in a plaited braid like duo's and the way she chattered reminded Heero so much of Duo that he could have sworn if she had blue eyes she could have been a younger, female duo. Or his daughter for that matter.

Clearing his throat he waited for the politician to acknowledge him before nodding his head in polite greeting reaching to shake his hand as he introduced himself. Sure he still wasn't one for much conversation but he could be polite and hold his own in discussions when he wanted or needed to.

" Good evening Senator Mackenzie. How do you do I'm Heero Yuy" he waited for the other to introduce himself and his daughter, even though with the background check Heero already knew everything there was to know, including that Jessi was allergic to shell fish...why he knew this? Just being as thorough as he could be.

To be respectful and not to appear to forward in demanding the information from the older male he talked with him quietly until he deemed that a polite time had elapsed before pulling out the card that he'd grabbed from the information files.

"this is a very good picture of you senator Mackenzie " he stated calmly, guaging the other's reactions to conversation like he would when interrogating an enemy informant.. when the other thanked him he tilted his head and looked at the picture again and then pointed the mysterious "Shinto Allan" " May I inquire as to who this young man in the photo is?"

Marquis looked at the card and then studied Heero intently for several minutes before answering by picking his daughter up and setting her in his lap as he spoke. " That is Shinto...Shinto Allan. He owns a small shuttle company which provides my daughter with transportation every day after school and sometimes while I'm out of town. "

Heero quirked his brow as though curious, oh yes he'd spent the last five years studying the expressions of those around him. Not to mention he was very curious about this 'Shinto" so it wasn't hard to fake interest." oh? You let a stranger around your daughter by herself? Isn't that risky?"

Laughing softly Marquis just shrugged it off as he straighted Jessi's braid a little. " I have had Shinto drive Jessi personally for the last four and a half years. I trust him. He gets along with her so well and she just adores him. I have come to think of Shinto as a very close personal friend over the years. I am completely confident with the security of my daughter in his care. He has in fact cut the kidnap attempts down on her to non existent since he's began picking her up after school."

That only convinced Heero of what he suspected to be the true identity of Shinto Allan. " I see...is he here tonight?"

As apposed to what he expected it was Jessi that answered that question. Speaking in the sweetest little chirp he blinked at her as she said " Shin-Chan said he'd come a little latter so he'll come here in a little bit"

Nodding his thanks to the two of them Heero excused himself from the conversation, withdrawing to observe the evening from the corner. If what Mackenzie said was true, then it had to be Duo...only Duo could so successfully eliminate potential threats. If not him then one of the four other pilots and he hadn't heard any of them mention running around after some senator's daughter...so he would be content to be patient, and wait.

* * *

**Shinto-Duo-Allan**

Sighing Shinto brushed the front of his shirt down one last time as he examined himself in the mirror. Wearing a pair of tight leather pants that hugged his hips and the curves of his buttocks he was confident that that alone would turn some of those stuffy politicians heads. The black silk shirt he wore was hanging open mostly, with two buttons done up over his stomach so that his belly button and upper chest were exposed in flashes while he walked. His hair he had up in a high pony tail and he had added some eyeliner and mascara to give his eyes a sexier look to it. If he was going to this thing he was gonna at least make it interesting.

Stepping out of the house he slipped onto his bike and doing his helmet took off to Marquis's home for the party. It was amazingly fast that he was there. Staring up at the outside of the manor before he really realized that he was there. Something intense was going to happen tonight...he could feel it.

Stepping across the threshhold of the ballroom the party was being held he heard the sound of gunfire before he even saw the figure in the center of the room holding a writhing figure by the throat and the screams of those closest to the person as he yelled an order for everyone to drop to the grown with their hands behind their head and their eyes to the ground. Oh fuck you gotta be kidding?

* * *

AN: **grins** hehe cliff hanger...well one upside to being sicker than a dog...I've got loads of time to do some major updates...so I'm hoping to slam out some pretty wicked chapters in the next couple of days...so review and let me know what you're thinking...if my hard work and my muse are doing their job. Lol. Cheers.

Next chapter: A scream broke over the room as the bullet tore it's way through flesh and blood splashed across the painted dance floor. **God no...not him not him**...Shinto's mind chanted desperately as he lay immobile....

tune in next time to see who gets shot...and will the gundams pilots be reunited in as five or?


	5. Chapter 5: Blood Stains and Tears shed

Fallen Stars:

AN: I don't own gundam wing or any of it's copy written characters. Although all Original characters are my own creations and I reserve rights to them.

Chapter Five: Blood Stains and tears shed.

* * *

**Shinto-Duo-Allan**

Shinto stared wide eyed at the scene unfolding before him. There were about ten guys in masks with guns forcing the patriots of the party down onto the ground. The one in the center seeming to be the ring leader...and it was this man that made Shinto hesitate to grab for his own fire arms...for thrashing in the burly arms of this man...was Jessi. The little girl obviously scared as she had a gun pressed to her temple and Marquis's lip was split from having been struck with the weapon in trying to protect his daughter.

Shinto frowned as he was shoved from his left one of the armed men having spotted him, jerking him forward into the room and throwing him down onto the ground ordering him to put his behind his head and not to move. Shinto did this...if only to try and neutralize a potential reason to shoot Jessi for the moment as the man with the girl turned his head his way to make sure he complied.

Eyes darting around quickly Shinto took in the situation carefully...there was ten guys with guns versus his one gun...even if he could get to it without drawing attention to himself. Things weren't looking good. He lay there thinking carefully when he heard the men starting to loot through the other guests' pockets and bags to get whatever they could of any value.

**Fuck...if only there was some way to distract the bastard with the gun to Jessi's head... **Shinto cursed inwardly...that was until his eyes met a very familiar green eye. Just the one. Trowa? Of courseeee Quat would come to these posh parties as a networking venture...and his silent protector would be at his side. Staring intently at the other he willed him to understand what he wanted...just a brief distraction so that he could get jessi out of harms way...

A faint nod was his response as a few moments later the other began....wait was he mimicking an ashma attack as he started rifling through Quatra's bag. The men around them scrambling to kick at him. Shinto listened quietly as he heard Quatra's voice over the wheezing and heaves pleading with them to let him get his inhaler.

**Steadyyyy...steadyyyy....there we go!** Shinto chanted softly in his head as his hand slid slowly downwards until he was grasping the grip of his pistol and in one fluid motion he had drawn and fired at the man holding Jessi hostage. Aiming for his head...there was no room for mistakes here...if he fired at his shoulder or something like that and it didn't wound the other enough the man with the gun could kill Jessi before he'd even had a chance to get to his feet.

The bullet flew true and as the man collapsed boneless to the ground, releasing Jessi in the process. Three more shots were fired and the same number of men went down leaving the last six to panic as they fumbled to figure out where the shots came from. As shinto rose to his feet his eyes flickered around the room for a half second to the other four pilots now standing, weapons drawn and pointed dangerously at the men threatening the guests...hell he could even see that sally was packing a weapon as she stood beside Wu-man.

"Drop your weapons and your lives will be spared....we only need one of you for questioning" oh that voice....it still sent chills up and down his spine. Turning to look at the man that had spoken his guard dropped ever so slightly.

In that instant there was the sound of glass shattering and Shinto was staring up at an oncoming bullet that he had no chance in hell of avoiding. So this was how he was going to die? By some sniper shot?

In that instant, as shock of the realization that he wasn't going to be able to escape severe...if not life threatening injury, his body jerked backwards as someone shoved at his shoulders and he flew backwards his eyes locking on those of the man in front of him. Skidding across the ground a good foot from the force of the push it was as though time stopped.

A scream broke over the room as the bullet tore it's way through flesh and blood splashed across the painted dance floor. **God no...not him not him**...Shinto's mind chanted desperately as he lay immobile the world plunging into darkness as the lights went out....

* * *

**Heero**

He frowned as he was forced to get down on the ground. He'd been distracted with his thoughts and hadn't noticed anything was amiss until he'd heard the girl scream...and by that time it was already too late. He couldn't move to draw his gun without risking her being hurt. Glancing around he realized that his fellow ex pilots were in the same situation as quatra, trowa, wufei and sally were all among the people getting onto the ground with rough shoves of the hostile offenders shoving them.

His mind began racing, doing calculations and deciding how long it would take to get the appropriate plan of action in motion or if it would be too dangerous. He had just started to shift to go for the man near him in hopes to draw the attention, and hopefully any impending gun fire, on him. However at the same instant he heard heaving and gasping and the blonde arabian pleading with the men around them to let the man get to his inhaler...

heero hesitated a moment, what were they planning? With all the attention on them there was no way trowa could get a gu...wait a minute. His eyes scanned the other guests, flickering to wufei, meeting his eye before flying to the slight motion near the door. In the moments it took him to realize that someone was reaching for something the male by the door had already pulled a gun and disabled the man in the center.

With the immediate danger taken care of it was no problem for him to draw and fire at the man hovering over him the man dead before he even hit the ground. A faint smirk tugged at the corners of his lips as wufei and trowa fired simultaneously with him and as one unit they all rose from their spots on the floor to brandish the weapons in their possessions. Heero did it, and he was sure the others did too...he felt five seperate sets of eyes on him momentarily even as he himself glanced at the others to take tole of those that stood with him..

Duo...he stood there...by the door...it had to be him. No one else but a gundam could have made that shot in the time it had taken that guy to do it. Coughing faintly under his breath to clear the lump that rose to his throat he addressed the men that now looked fearful at suddenly having their " defenseless hostages" turn guns on them and with four of them already dead.

"Drop your weapons and your lives will be spared....we only need one of you for questioning" Heero seriously hoped no one else noticed how hoarse his voice was as he spoke. As one the men began lowering their weapons...however Heero only had eyes for one person. In that instant the sound of glass made him jerk as his eyes widened as he realized too late what was happening. Crying out duo's name he watched in horror as the braided man realized what was coming at him. Watching the terror and then shock flicker over that usually animated face.

It all happened so quickly that if Heero hadn't been trained to be a soldier he might have missed it, however as the bullet flew at duo another body flew at the braided boy as Marquis shoved the younger boy backwards and out of the line of fire. Someone screamed as the bullet pierced the blonde from behind and his blood splattered over the dance floor. At that exact moment the lights went out and the ballroom and everyone inside was plunged into darkness.

It took a few moments for Heero's eyes to adjust to the darkness and in that time he was already moving to secure the nearest living man, disarming and bringing him down hearing the scuffling as the others did the same. When the lights flickered back on however...one was unaccounted for...and the girl was missing.

Frowning as he glanced around Heero took in the where abouts of all the exits and began yelling orders for his men to get in gear and find the man that had grabbed Jessi. While this was happening his eyes were locked on Duo as he saw the other holding Marquis trying to quench the bleeding in the politician's chest. He could hear the american blabbering about how he had to stay alive to take care of Jessi and something about who was going to tease him about his hair and how tight his pants were all the time if he was gone. It felt like a knife was twisting in his chest to see duo kneeling there, looking that desperate and distressed over someone else...but he realized...he had no right to be jealous.

Pulling out his cell phone he called an ambulance before heading over to see if he could help after securing his prisoner. He was helping to bind the blonde's chest when his men came back to announce that there was no sign of the sniper shooter, the tenth hostile or the girl.

" Start looking furhter...and get these men and interogate them I want to know who they are, what they wanted and where they've taken the girl." Heero demanded calmly watching his men scurry off before pulling back seeing how tense Duo was as he just ignored him completely and focussed instead on the bleeding man in his arms. "the ambulance should be here soon...i'm ...sure he'll be alright." He stated before just standing up seeing the other had no intention of replying.

Heero begrudgingly gave up his position to Quatra who came over to help, sighing as Duo responded positively to the smaller blonde's pressence. Pulling back all together Heero distracted himself by dealing with matters at hand like making sure everyone other than marquis was okay, and began questioning all the guests on what they'd seen prior to the men pulling their guns. It was all he could do to keep his mind off of how close to Duo he was.

* * *

**Duo**

He was holding onto Marquis, pressing down on the bullet wound which bled fiercely. Refusing to listen to his silent demands that it stop. He couldn't do anything but focus on the other right now. **Please not him...please I can't take it if someone else dies because of my weaknesses...god..please!**

When Heero came over like that Duo just kept his eyes downwards as he held onto the shirt he had bundled up and pressed against the bleeding wound even as first Heero and then Quatra came to help him by binding the bundle of cloth in place. Duo was greatful when Quatra took Heero's place, the smaller blonde was so much easier to deal with...the guilt for letting the others think he was dead wasn't even half of the pain he felt from being near Heero. That pain of a hopeless love that crashed down around him...on top of one of the closest people to his heart at the moment...someone he'd even allowed himself to fantasize about dating at some point bleeding so badly in his arms, as well as the little girl he had come to care so much for in a potential life threatening situation? ...no...he just couldn't handle Heero on top of everything he was feeling right now.

Smiling weakly at Quatra he held onto the other until the paramedics came to take him from him. He was grateful that he hadn't stopped breathing yet, so maybe he would have a chance? Duo wanted to go with Marquis to the hospital, to make sure he'd be okay, however he knew he didn't have that option right now. Not with Jessi out there in danger.

Although he wasn't sure why they would grab her when they had just shot her father, Duo figured there had to be more to this than the usual kidnapping motives so he would focus getting Jessi safe and then ask questions later. Standing up he brushed Quatra off as he moved to examine the multiple entrances they could have used before turning instead to finding the sniper's location.

From the angle of the shot he located it quite easily, a servant room from the other part of the mansion exactly across from the ballroom, however the room had already been evacuated and what few things he could find inside the room revealed little of anything. Left to pacing impatiently as Heero and Trowa questioned the men t hat had staged the hold up in a spare bedroom. Duo ignored the looks that Quatra and Wufei were giving him as they watched him silently. He was sure they had questions for him but he knew that they would respect his anxiety and wait until the situation was handled first before interrogating him about why he'd let them think he was dead for five years.

Growling in frustration Duo stormed into the room and shoved Trowa out of his way as he set to beating the daylights out of one of the men stopping only when he began to blubber about some money grubbing senator that sought to profit off the loss of t he others but that things had gone out of their control and the second man must have been acting on his own once they were neutralized.

"Fine...give me a place..a name anything or I'll beat you until you'll never walk again" Duo threatened and with the look of murder in his eyes the man didn't doubt what he said was what he would do. It was another hour before the ex pilot of death strolled from the room, with one thought in mind...**I'm coming Jessi.**

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AN: Not as long as the others I know...sorry ... please read and review so I know what you think...


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